I had the honor of offering the prayer of dedication for the building that will be home to City Hall in Cedar Springs, MI. In our City’s long history, this is only the fourth building which they have occupied, with the previous building being their home for 50 years. So I was probably given a once-in-a-generation opportunity!
Here is the text of my remarks and prayer.
When the Constitutional Convention convened, Benjamin Franklin rose and said, “I therefore beg leave to move, That henceforth Prayers, imploring the Assistance of Heaven, and its Blessing on our Deliberations, be held in this Assembly every Morning before we proceed to Business.”
Prayer before legislative deliberations has been ingrained in our Nation since her inception. So in that spirit, I humbly offer this prayer of dedication for our new City Hall.
Almighty God, Your servant Paul told us to “pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity” [1 Timothy 2:2]. We are also told that those in civic leadership positions are Your servants that You have appointed to do Your work [Romans 13:1].
There are so many issues that are before both our elected officials and our City staff that need a wise and prudent answer. We believe that You delight in giving us Your counsel which is far above the counsel of mere humans.
Therefore, I humbly ask for wisdom for Your servants who serve us in the City of Cedar Springs. You have told us that wisdom will be “given generously” to all who ask You for it [James 1:5]. And that by Your wisdom officials “rule wisely” [Proverbs 8:15]. Give these civil servants such wisdom to deliberate and to decide in a fashion that pleases Your righteousness and Your justice. May the City of Cedar Springs—and all of her citizens—be blessed because of Your wisdom that guides the deliberations and the decisions that will be made made in this building.
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Imagine a couple being invited to a dinner at another couple’s house. The host and hostess want to create a special evening for their guests, so they carefully plan the meal, shop for all the ingredients, and then spend the afternoon putting together all the components of their meal.
Their friends arrive and sit down to dinner. One friend thoughtfully samples the food, letting it sit on her tastebuds, and offering comments like, “I love how you got the spices to bloom on this meat … Wow, look at the vibrant colors in your vegetable medley … I really like the way the lemon zest cuts down the sweetness of your cake frosting.” The other dinner guest inhales his meal without hardly tasting it.
For which guest would you rather spend hours preparing the meal—the thoughtful foodie or the hasty gobbler? It doesn’t have to be food. What about the one who appreciates the effort you put into your design project, noticing the fine-tuned details versus the one who simply says, “It looks nice”? Or the one who graciously receives your loving insight about something that could really help them versus the one who sulks and attacks you because you didn’t tell them everything about them is wonderful?
Statement #19—Don’t cast your pearl before swine. Is that in the Bible?Yes.
Matthew 7:6 is a paragraph unto itself. Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
But its placement in the Sermon on the Mount is interesting because Jesus has just addressed the hard but loving word we may need to speak to a brother or sister (vv. 1-4). I’ve discussed this before, and this requires maturity, humility, and introspection before speaking.
In v. 6, Jesus seems to be telling us to consider whom we are addressing.
The word sacred (Greek: hagios) means saintly, holy, set apart for God’s use. This word is used for the Holy Spirit and for God’s holy people. So sacred things are not to be used just anywhere by anyone in any situation in which we choose. Sacred things must be used with discretion.
The apostle Paul said, “Yet when we are among the full-grown—spiritually mature Christians who are ripe in understanding—we do impart a higher wisdom—the knowledge of the divine plan previously hidden…” (1 Corinthians 2:6 AMPC).
The word dogs in Matthew 7:6 can me a 4-legged canine, but it can also mean a person of an impure mind (see Philippians 3:2; Revelation 22:15).
(2) …do not throw your pearls to pigs.
Pearls is a word of great value; a treasure that you spent dearly to acquire. Jesus talks about precious, costly treasures in two parables in Matthew 13:44-46. And Solomon opens the Book of Proverbs by contrasting those who receive precious wisdom—those who “listen and add to their learning”—with those who reject it—“fools [who] despise wisdom and instruction” (see Proverbs 1:1-7).
Pigs in Matthew 7 are those undiscriminating gobblers of food, like the thoughtless friend I mentioned earlier who just inhaled his food without any savoring of the perfectly-prepared meal.
We want to give a good answer to everyone without quarreling. But giving a good answer doesn’t necessarily mean you are giving them your best pearls. Here are a few things I have learned the hard way.
Do gauge their sincerity with questions. Notice the masterful way Jesus did this in Matthew 22:15-46. In several exchanges, you can tell which people in His audience were getting the pearls and which weren’t. We would do well to learn this lesson from our Savior.
Don’t try to be a know-it-all. Saying, “I don’t know,” is a perfectly acceptable answer, but then come back to continue the conversation later.
We have precious, invaluable, life-changing treasures to share with people! Let’s share with them what they are ready to hear, reserving our pearls for those who are truly seeking a treasure.
If you’ve missed any of the other statements we have looked at in our series “Is That In The Bible?” you can find them all here.
Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.
In Paul’s second letter to his friend Timothy, he has quite a bit to say about love—really about two kinds of love.
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)
What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 1:13)
Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. (2 Timothy 2:22)
But as he nears the end of this letter, he warns Timothy about an entirely different kind of love. The word “love” appears six times in a span of just three verses, with four of those times being words that are unique in all of the New Testament. This is his warning about the last days—
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will belovers of themselves,loversof money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love,unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal,not lovers of the good,treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. (2 Timothy 3:1-4)
In “the last days,” the negative characteristics of people will be driven by their misplaced love. They will be…
…lovers of themselves. This is a unique word in the New Testament meaning their only interest is self-interest.
…lovers of money. These people are ambitious in their pursuit of more, more, more. They are covetous people. Luke uses this same word to describe some Pharisees “who loved money” (Luke 16:14). Literally translated, it means lovers of silver.
…without love. People so self-focused on their pursuits that the needs of others around them scarcely enter their thoughts, even if those people are their own family members.
…not lovers of the good. Another unique word that goes beyond simply lacking love, but being antagonistic toward people who are attempting to be loving and kind to others.
…lovers of pleasure. This unique word means a friend of hedonism. Their pursuit is not just money, but anything that will scratch their itch. This mindset never considers whether their pursuit is healthy, worthwhile, or even injurious to others.
…[not] lovers of God. This final unique word that Paul uses describes people who have decided to pursue anything except God. Or as the psalmist might say, there is no room for God in any of their thoughts (see Psalm 10:4).
This is why Solomon told us to guard our heart, or to pay attention to what our heart longs for (Proverbs 4:23), and why Jesus told us to monitor our words that are revealing the pursuits that are truly in our heart (Matthew 12:34).
Jesus identified the fulfillment of all the requirements of the law as loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and then loving our neighbor with the same care that we would love ourselves (see Luke 10:25-37).
What kind of lover are you?
Are you pursuing God or are you pursuing your own pleasure?
You could gauge your love by asking these questions:
What or whom do I think about the most?
What do I talk about the most?
What do I do more than anything else?
We are, as Paul told Timothy, living in “the last days,” with the imminent return of Jesus. Honestly answering those three questions will help you know whether you will hear Jesus say, “Well done! Enter into your Master’s happiness” or, “Depart from Me. I never knew you.”
My advice is wholesome. There is nothing devious or crooked in it. My words are plain to anyone with understanding, clear to those with knowledge. (Wisdom in Proverbs 8:8-9)
wholesome/hōl′səm/
Conducive to or indicative of good health or well-being.
Conducive to or promoting social or moral well-being.
Contributing to the health of the mind.
There is nothing as wholesome—healthy and beneficial—as the Wisdom which is found on the pages of Scripture.
And so, my children, listen to me, for all who follow my ways are joyful. Listen to my instruction and be wise. Don’t ignore it. … For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord. (Wisdom in Proverbs 8:32-33, 35)
Open your mouth for the people who cannot speak, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the poor and needy. (Proverbs 31:8-9)
✅ Open your mouth to speak up for others who don’t have a voice.
If you have been foolish in exalting yourself, or if you have plotted evil, put your hand on your mouth. (Proverbs 30:32)
🚫 Close your mouth to evil words or if you are trying to promote yourself.
If I want to present my best ideas, I need to be open to the helpful, sharpening critique that people close to me have to offer. My first idea sounds great, until others come along to make it better.
“In so far as I am Man I am the chief of creatures. In so far as I am a man I am the chief of sinners.” —G.K. Chesterton
Cold case detective J. Warner Wallace applies the same scrutiny to examining the evidence of the New Testament as he does with a suspect. “There are four critical questions that must drive our examination of any eyewitness, ancient or modern: Were they actually present to see what they claim? Can their account be corroborated in some fashion, even indirectly? Have the key elements of their story shifted over time? And finally, do they possess ulterior motives or bias that would tempt them to lie or embellish? This is not a uniquely religious or anti-religious method; it is simply good investigative practice.”
“Few men, if any, step into responsible positions without preparation. Sometimes in our shortsightedness we seem to get the idea in regard to Bible characters that they come on the scene ready-made, fully prepared; here they are, God’s gift to the world! They take up the work, and that’s all there is to it. But if you will read more carefully, you will find that usually—I think we could even say always—there is a period of preparation behind them. God lays His plans well in advance.” —William Sanford LaSor
The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise. (Proverbs 27:21)
The Message paraphrase says you can tell what’s in someone’s heart by how they react when they are praised—“The purity of human hearts is tested by giving them a little fame.”
The Amplified Bible says you can tell what’s in someone’s heart by listening to what they praise—“A man is judged by what he praises and of what he boasts.”
These are two sides of the same coin, and both are equally true. How we handle praise and what we praise both reveal what’s inside our heart. Both of these are responses to which we shouldpay careful attention.
Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.
Jude calls Christians to contend for the faith without contention and without compromise. Instead, we are to loving serve Jesus by engaging with others mercifully, peacefully, and lovingly. This means we have to contend without quarreling.
But that’s easier said than done because people love to pick fights, and we hate to lose an argument.
Look at the ministry of Jesus. His adversaries couldn’t get around the perfect logic that He used based on Scripture, so they came up with all sorts of controversies in the hope of tripping Him up and silencing Him. They posed seemingly unanswerable dilemmas like: In heaven, which one of the seven brothers will be married to the woman they all married on earth? Should we pay taxes to Caesar? Should we pay the temple tax? What’s the greatest commandment of all? They tried to get Him to take the bait about religious traditions, laws concerning the Sabbath, and the punishment for a woman caught in adultery.
Jesus never got fluster or frustrated—He never took the bait to quarrel with them, but He simply stood unwaveringly and lovingly on God’s Word. But once again, that’s easier said than done!
King Solomon pointed out the difficulty of this in Proverbs 26:4-5. Do we answer a fool or not? Yes, but we answer wisely not foolishly.
I believe Jude would agree with Solomon, Jesus, Paul, and Peter, but then he uses three examples that could spark a controversy:
the fate of fallen angels (Jude 6)
Michael and the devil arguing over the body of Moses (v. 9)
Enoch prophesying (v. 14)
But notice that how Jude uses these examples by not addressing any more than what we already know from Scripture. In this way, Jude keeps this from becoming a foolish, quarrelsome controversy (v. 10).
Notice the consistent instruction of the Bible on how to handle critics:
Michael the archangel: The Lord rebuke you! (also 2 Peter 2:11)
Jesus: Away from Me! (Matthew 4:10) and Get behind Me! (Mark 8:33)
James: Submit to God and then resist the devil (James 4:7)
Peter: speak gently, respectfully, and with a clear conscience (1 Peter 3:15-16)
Paul: warn people without becoming quarrelsome (2 Timothy 2:14, 16, 23-25)
In Luke 13:1-5, Jesus addresses two events that could have become quite controversial, but Jesus defused the controversy by simply saying, “No matter what, everyone needs to have their sins forgiven by God.” Paul continued this singleminded focus on Jesus. I love how the Amplified Bible captures his words in 1 Corinthians 2:2. And then Paul encourages his friend Timothy to operate the same way (1 Timothy 1:15-17).
Don’t let foolish controversies sidetrack you from the faith entrusted to us, but take everything back to Jesus as He is revealed in the Scripture.
If you’ve missed any of the other messages in our series called Earnestly Contending, you can find them all here.
Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall; don’t be happy when they stumble. Don’t fret because of evildoers; don’t envy the wicked. (Proverbs 24:17, 19 NLT)
We don’t rejoice when evildoers stumble, nor do we fret when evildoers succeed. Why? Because our attention should be captivated by our Savior.
God’s peace shall be yours—that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is—that peace which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7 AMPC)
God’s transcendent peace comes into our heart like an elite special forces team to guard our heart from enemies. We are the ones who welcome in this special force by being content with all God is for us in Jesus. That means we can dismiss this special force by being discontent.
Listen to the podcast of this post by clicking on the player below, and you can also subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or Audible.
Paul makes it so clear that the Holy Spirit is a Person with Whom I should be in regular and intimate conversation. In the span of just a few verses in Galatians, Paul uses five different Greek words to fill out the definition for what it means for a Christians to walk by the Spirit.
(1) Walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). This word means to conduct my life at the Spirit’s speed. Not rushing ahead; not lagging behind. As Solomon might say, “Trust the Holy Spirit with all your heart, and do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take” (paraphrase of Proverbs 3:5-6).
(2) Led by the Spirit (5:18). This means to be attached to the One Who is conducting my life. Just like Jesus explained about branches staying connected to the Vine in John 15:1-5.
(3) Live by the Spirit (5:25). To consider the Holy Spirit as my one and only vitalizing Source. He is more important than the air I breathe, the food I eat, or the water I drink.
(4) Keep in step with the Spirit (5:25). I march obediently as a soldier under direction from my Superior Officer; attuned to His voice to obey His every direction.
(5) Live by the Spirit (6:1). This describes one who is filled with and governed by the Holy Spirit’s life-force.
Christians who live this way cannot help but exhibit the fruit of the Spirit in such abundance that their very lives become a living, breathing testimony to others of the delight in walking by the Spirit on every single step of our life’s journey (5:22-23).
I had the honor of offering the prayer of dedication for the building that will be home to City Hall in Cedar Springs, MI. In our City’s long history, this is only the fourth building which they have occupied, with the previous building being their home for 50 years. So I was probably given a once-in-a-generation opportunity!
There are so many issues that are before both our elected officials and our City staff that need a wise and prudent answer. We believe that You delight in giving us Your counsel which is far above the counsel of mere humans. 
Craig T. Owens 